The Grail war
by Senge Waber
Summary: The Grail war, using masters and servants from different series. No F/SN characters, but several from other well known manga/anime and games. Strong violence, may go from T to M. Many genres.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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Negi awoke more lethargic than usual.

Perhaps it was due to the party they had last night, saving the secrecy of magic that Chao Lingshen so nearly exposed. Or maybe he was just feeling down about how they also had to say goodbye to her, because she did not belong in this timeline.

But, never the less, he had to get up. He was a teacher, a role model to his students!

Although said students were older than he was...

Getting breakfast, he went to join Asuna on her morning paper run, and quickly found himself out of breath.

"Hey...you alright?" Asuna turned around to him, looking worried.

Negi noticed this, and put on a brave face, one actually capable of convincing his student. "I'm fine, Asuna-san."

Asuna blinked. She had her doubts, and yet this one seemed sincere. "...Alright."

A flash of light behind Asuna, one she didn't see, but one that made Negi's face grow pale. The arrow came from behind a building and into some bushes, but he was unfamiliar with the spell required to cause it.

Feeling her doubts confirmed, she questioned him again. "Negi, what's wrong?"

"Asuna-san, someone's using magic in the open...!" Negi pointed to the building which had hidden the creator of the arrow. Asuka turned around as Negi ran past, his fatigue forgotten.

"Ah? Negi, wait!" Asuna chased him down, spotting the two...no, three figures.

All three were men, one was dressed entirely in white clothes which contrasted with his black hair...white shirt, white pants, and white cape, holding what was clearly some sort of magical bow, too. The glasses simply added to his piercing gaze. He was combating some sort of man with creepy golden eyes with vertical slits in them, something that simply _screamed_ snake. He had long black hair, and was dressed in a tan robe with some sort of dark shirt and pants underneath, the robe held in place with a purple rope, of all things. He was wielding a sword that was too long and thin to really be called a sword anymore. The third man would surely have otherwise drawn them most attention had he been holding a weapon, with his fiery orange hair and scowl that scarily suited his face. He was dressed in far more casual clothes, a simple red tee and dark blue pants.

But what scared her most, was that she had never seen these men before in her life.

She hid from sight in the shadow of a building, breathing hard. Something was _wrong_ with those men. Then she realised, Negi was still out in the open.

"Archer...you certainly live up to your class' reputation..." The man with the sword seemed to hiss...like a snake.

"Which class are you, then? I would guess Sabre, given the sword." The man called Archer said back.

"Kukuku...Perhaps I am, perhaps I'm not." The so called 'Sabre' replied.

"Considering you will die here, it would help me to know which class I no longer need to worry about. But you obviously won't part with that information..." Another arrow blasted the ground at Sabre's feet, having evaded the projectile, and snuck into the bushes, strangely blending in. "...Perhaps he was Assassin?" Then Negi was noticed. Archer levelled him a glare. "Boy, do you have any idea what you just witnessed?"

Negi shook his head, dumbfounded by the strange display. But that wasn't the right answer, because that meant he had witnessed the event.

Archer sighed heavily. This went against his moral code, however this contest must be kept secret. He lined another arrow up, this one at Negi.

"You were at the wrong place at the wrong time...sorry." Archer fired, hitting Negi in the chest.

And even with his innate magic resistance, blood began to gather on the ground where he fell.

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A/N

Ok, something to kick-start my muse. Tell me how much worse my writing has gotten, please. I need it to be back to normal before I resume Naruto of the Dawn, because in my opinion, that story deserves the very best I can offer.

This story is taking the rules from 'Fate/Stay Night''s Grail War, but sticking different servants and masters from different series and throwing them together in Mahora Academy as the battleground.

I think Archer and his master's identity should be easy to figure out, as would the identity of the other combatant. But I will be impressed if anyone can guess his class, or his master. Enough so that I might even offer them previews, or side scenes I decide to cut out of the final copy.

Anyway, that's enough of me for you, I'm sure.

Senge.


	2. Rules

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, and Bleach. This will be added to every time a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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Archer looked down at the slowly dying boy sadly.

Was he the first victim of this war? He didn't know, but he did know that such a life didn't deserve to be snuffed out as simply as it no doubt would be.

Sighing heavily, the man headed back to his 'master'. It was quite funny, really, their roles ought to be reversed. Ichigo Kurosaki was the one who defied the odds, and fought his way through...pretty much anything that got in it. Whereas he, while not really holding Ichigo back, per se, would probably be far better to ordering what would normally be the more powerful of the duo.

But this event was not normal in the slightest.

After the winter war, Ichigo declared he needed some time to himself, and being honest, the Quincy thought he deserved it, too. Then something weird happened, a circle appeared at his feet, and the next thing he knew, he was in front of Ichigo, feeling his energy flow into himself.

Then they wandered, confused by what was going on, and found an old, bearded man who's age had quite obviously not caught up to him yet. He explained that Uryu is a 'servant', one of seven powerful beings caught in a war for an artefact that could grant a single wish, which would be powered by the sacrifice of the other 6. This artefact would retain the energy no matter where or when they were killed, however to ensure that the servants cannot hide, neither they nor their master can leave the vicinity, which turns out is Mahora in its entirety.

Ichigo is Uryu's 'Master', more or less what is keeping him alive. A servant can only survive without a master for 3 days, or be absorbed into the artefact. He has a seal on his left hand with 3 smaller sigils within, each signifying once command Uryu cannot refuse. As uncomfortable as that made him, he knew Ichigo's and his own morals were similar enough that using any of them s unlikely, and they have a strong trust for each other as well. On a side note, something that is irritating Ichigo to no end, is that a master's unique abilities are 'nerfed', or downgraded, while the servants gain a large boost. Right now, Ichigo can't leave his body, however he can produce his zanpaku-to...but he cannot reach even shikai with it. Whereas Uryu...his power is similar to when he took off his glove in the Seireitai, but controlled.

As previously stated, there are seven servants who will appear over the course of a week, one for each day, in the order Archer, Lancer, Assassin, Sabre, Rider, Berserker, and Caster. It was now the seventh day, so all the contestants may already be present. The class names represent their abilities, and are pretty much self explanatory, with perhaps the exception of Rider...Uryu had no idea about that one.

Still, there was one iron-hard rule. No-one uninvolved with the war who witnessed anything was to be left alive. It was to be carried out in utmost secrecy.

"Did the kid really have to die?" Ichigo asked.

"...Yes, Kurosaki. He did." Uryu closed his eyes as he walked away, back to their current residence. Ichigo reluctantly followed.

That was also something weird. He'd tried leaving the area two different ways, one, by simply walking out of the area, but it felt like he hit a wall when he reached the edge of town. And the train, attempt number two, was met with a supposed technical fault, which was repaired as soon as it was impossible for him to board it again in time.

It seemed he really was unable to leave this contest...where his life, and Kurosaki's, was at stake.

Correction, only his. If Uryu died, Ichigo would be allowed to leave. But if Ichigo died, so would Uryu unless he could defeat the remaining servants before his time ran out.

Still, this was a bloody war he wanted no part of, but also had no choice. He wondered briefly, would any of the other masters order their servants to die so they could live?

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A/N

Quick update...really quick. Mostly just laying the ground rules. Yes, there will be character death. Not sure if that makes it T or M rated...let me know.

And no, the old man's not an OC. He's not mine, either.


	3. Casualty

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, and Bleach. This will be added to everytime a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

Asuna knew 2 things.

One, Negi needed help. Badly.

He was bleeding out right in front of her, and unless she wanted to expose herself and potentially suffer the same fate, she also couldn't help him.

At least not directly.

Two, she really, _really_ didn't want to leave him there. But picking him up, not to mention possibly damaging to the boy, would expose her.

And then she knew a 3rd thing.

This was the world he didn't really want his students to have a part in.

This, was the magical world.

And at that instant, she decided something that could change her life. Negi wouldn't go through this alone.

She ran. Ran straight to the one person she knew could do something, even if that something is inconsequential.

Takahata-sensei.

Normally, her heart would have fluttered at the mere thought of speaking to him.

But not now. Not with Negi's life on the line.

She found him in the hallway. "T-Takahata-sensei!"

He turned and smiled disarmingly. "Yes, Asuna-kun?"

"It's Negi-sensei! He's hurt!" Asuna panicked.

Takamichi's cheerful attitude dropped in that instant. "Where is he, Asuna-kun?"

"O-On the grounds...We have to hurry!" Asuna grabbed his arm, dragging him to the scene.

Takamichi was growing more worried by the second. Asuna normally showed extreme anxiety at the thought of touching him at all, but now it was as if it was the last thing on her mind.

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Whatever Takamichi was expecting at the scene, this was most certainly not it.

"Negi-kun!" He ran over to him, quickly checking his vitals. "What happened? !"

"T-Two men w-were fighting, and Negi ran over because they were using magic, and-and" She got cut off.

"Slow down, Asuna-kun. What hurt Negi? That's the most important right now." Takamichi gently picked up the now cold boy, who was miraculously holding on to life.

"S-Some sort of magic arrow..." Asuna looked on worriedly.

"He needs aid, now. Evangeline-san may have a potion to help...if not, we'll go to the Dean."

"A-Alright..." Asuna was now starting to calm down, happy to have a plan.

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"Asuna-kun, could you knock for me?" Takamich asked, his hands full with a bandaged Negi. He was still bleeding, despite the fact he was quickly running out of blood. He was unsure if the fact the bleeding was slowing down because of the bandages, or because there was little left to bleed.

Asuna knocked loudly, her frayed emotions showing through.

Evangeline was heard grumbling from within. "Ugh, you have absolutely no respect for your betters..." She opened the door. "Do you have any idea...what...time..." She trailed off, smelling the blood and seeing Negi's state. "Bring him in. NOW!" She stormed upstairs, leaving the door open.

The two saw this as a good thing, she might have something to help him after all. She came down with a collection of vials and flasks. The first she poured into her own hands, before working on him in earnest.

Asuna couldn't look on...this was not something she could stomach. Takamichi watched grimly, knowing this was beyond him.

90 minutes later, Evangeline was done.

"This is as much as I can do. As a vampire, and an evil one at that, my skill at healing others isn't good. He's stable, and will live, but I can't say much more." Evangeline gazed hard at the boy. Really, he was lucky to survive.

Asuna glanced over, seeing Negi was whole, but still pale, something that only seemed augmented by the blood.

"At least he'll live. Thank you, Evangeline-san." Takamichi bowed, genuinely grateful.

"Just remind him when he comes to that he owes me another one." Evangeline turned away, more to hide the concern on her face.

"Will do." Takamichi lifted the boy again gently, preparing to take him to the dorms.

Of course, nothing is ever quite that easy.

While outside the safety of McDowell's house, midway between the building and the school, Takamichi's 6th sense went wild, causing him to drop Negi and throw Asuna to the ground.

But nothing came.

"...Kukuku...impressive. Battle hardened." The snake man from earlier dropped from a nearby tree, his oversized sword hanging over his back. "This should be fun...after all, that brat wasn't supposed to live. He saw something he shouldn't have...and now you have, too." The man gave an insane grin.

Asuna did the one think she could think of in this situation, stall for time while Takahata prepared his Kanka techniques. "Assassin. You're Assassin, aren't you?"

The man blinked, then laughed. "Kukuku...maybe I am, maybe I'm not...but I'm certainly interested in where you heard that term. Perhaps you're a master, too?" Takamichi launched his first attack, an iaiken punch, and the ground exploded at their antagonist's feet, who jumped gracefully out of the way. "Oh? It looks like this will be very fun indeed..." He drew his blade, 9 feet in length, and swung it at Takamichi, who sidestepped the blow barely.

Asuna realised that Takahata couldn't win this, and even worse, without Negi conscious she couldn't help, either. So she picked up Negi and ran, aiming for the cover of the trees to hide her progress.

"Kuku...She can't lose me in the trees. It'll be fun...watching the mouse realise she's cornered..." The man grinned evilly, before getting reminded he still had a foe in front of him by a powered hit to his left arm, one that was nearly dodged anyway. "Oh? I actually felt that one...Not bad." He returned the blow with a light nick with the tip of his blade to the man's stomach, who noted it hurt far more than it should.

"Ugh...poison?" He winced, talking hurt already. That wasn't good...

The man grinned sinisterly. "I did say you have to die." He levelled his blade at the man's chest, who was still standing despite the harsh pain. "Now, time to torment the girl..." He sliced the teacher from shoulder to hip, and he died within seconds of hitting the ground.

Takamichi T. Takahata was the first casualty of this war, one of what was to be many.

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A/N

Wow, these are just spilling out of me right now.

I did warn about character death. Again, I ask, T or M rating?


	4. Enter Caster

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, and Bleach. This will be added to every time a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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Asuna broke from the trees in a mad dash for Mahora Academy.

That snake man was undoubtedly pursuing her, and the only chance of survival now lay in reaching the safety of the other magi within the school.

However, moments before reaching those buildings, the man intercepted them.

"Kukuku...quite a run, for a mouse." His blade was already drawn. Asuna locked eyes with him, and was suddenly paralysed with fear.

_Is...is this the end...?_

The man swung his sword to strike her down...and her world exploded into light.

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A man coughed harshly, shaking his head. "Ugh, why is magic so hard...probably should have paid attention in class..." He looked up, seeing a man with snake-like eyes, which were widened at the moment.

"C-Caster? ! ?" He hissed angrily.

The man blinked. "Not how I would introduce myself, but close enough. You?" 'Caster' grinned cheerfully.

The other man merely launched himself at him in rage, which was deftly blocked by a staff he was sure hadn't been there before his magical array had exploded. No, this staff he had given to Negi as he'd left him all those years ago. And now, it was in his hands? What the hell is going on?

The strange man twisted, swinging the sword to his other side, which 'Caster' deftly ducked.

"_Man Man Terro Terro_ _Septem spiritus levitas, offendo meus inimicus!_" Seven lightning arrows appeared around him, and surged towards the man from different directions. After deflecting the first with his sword, the man snarled and jumped to evade two more, quickly changing his sword to his other hand as his right arm twitched. He deflected three more, his left arm strangely not affected by the stunning effect, however he heard 'Caster' begin another incantation. "_Man Man Terro Terro_ _Kenotētos Astraphsatō de Temetō! Dios Tukos!_" 'Caster' raised his hand and brought it down in a vertical swipe in front of him, and the action was rewarded with a large swath of electricity which moved with enough force to throw the man violently back to the ground, where he slithered away along the ground.

'Caster' looked back at the two people he had protected. _Wasn't even sure I'd see them again...Heh, they grow up so fast. Or maybe it's just because I haven't seen them for so long...Ahh who cares? Nice to see them, though._ He looked at Negi's left hand, seeing an unfamiliar mark. _Hm? Wonder what that's for..._ He picked them both up with surprising ease, even for himself, and wandered the familiar dorms, looking for their room.

He found it easily enough, however he wasn't prepared for the three occupants.

One was the girl that also resided in the dorm, Konoka Konoe, who was cooking a very large breakfast. Good thing, too, considering she had yet another unintended guest.

The second, and perhaps the most unnoticeable of the three, was an ermine, Negi's pet and assistant Chamo. Whether he was helping Konoka or not would be a good question to ask, considering his perverted streak.

The third, however, clearly did not fit the scene, especially when his eyes brightened as 'Caster' entered the room.

A man clearly 50+ years, and eccentric as well, grinned at him from his seated position at the table. "Welcome Caster. You've finally arrived."

"That's the second person to call me that..." 'Caster' was now even more wary of the man, considering the last person had attacked him with obvious intent to kill.

"You've already had a confrontation." The man stated matter-of-factly. "I'll need to explain the rules of engagement, however that should probably wait until the boy wakes. Young, for a master..." He trailed off, caught in his own thoughts.

"Master? What exactly is going on here?" 'Caster' asked, now simply confused as his wariness subsided.

"As I said, best to wait until the boy wakes. The girl too, considering you'll be living with her for some time."

'Caster' blinked. "Wait... What?"

This attracted the attention of the other 2 occupants.

"Negi-sensei?"

"Aniki!"

Both abandon the cooking breakfast to discover the cause for his unconscious condition, which is quickly obvious considering it wasn't completely healed.

"How about we let him rest for now?" 'Caster' suggested, moving towards the beds. "Actually, they should probably _both_ rest..." He lies them both down together, not thinking much of it. The other 2 agree, but continue to hover around him. 'Caster' turns to the old man. "Will there be any other _encounters_ while they rest?"

The old man lets out a mirthful chuckle. "No, or at least none that will put him in danger. As the conflict's moderator, he'll be under my protection until the rules are explained."

"Good..." 'Caster' sniffed the air. "How close was that to being ready before I walked in?"

"Close enough that it's surely overcooked by now." He smirked, watching the other two's reaction out of the corner of his eye. He was rewarded when they started and rushed back to the stovetop with embarrassment.

"You know...you ain't half bad." 'Caster' grinned.

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A/N

Had this finished apart from the fight scene for awhile, been far too long since I've written one, really. Again, I invite anyone to point out flaws in my writing so I can get back up to speed. Hopefully they'll flow better soon.

I doubt anyone will have any trouble recognising the servants thus far, they're somewhat iconic. But I'll be extremely surprised if anyone recognises the old man. Then again, I've only given him a vague description at best...should probably change that.

Anyway, I rarely ask for reviews, but I'd like some. I need to know what you all think thus far. I only have myself to talk to, and I've found I'm rather biased.

Not to mention a narrow viewpoint.

Till next update.

Senge.

Edit: Forgot about the activation phrase for Caster. Fixed now.


	5. Old Men

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, Bleach, and Kingdom Hearts. This will be added to every time a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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An old man with somewhat sinister golden eyes looked at his left hand briefly, scanning his two command seals while recalling recent events.

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He'd come here after finally losing his battle in Riku's heart, the sheer power of his darkness allowing himself to create a husk that it was used to. However, that husk was not in the form of Terra, but rather his true body.

Darkly tanned skin, bald head, and a hunched figure that suggested back problems, he decided to use this form on a younger, innocent generation.

A school of teenage girls? Yes, he could use this form to slowly gather their strength.

Playing the part of an old man in need, every time one of the young girls touched him he absorbed just a tiny bit of their strength. That way, nothing could be traced back to him.

Yet fate just loves throwing curveballs at this darkness wielder.

One night, just several days ago, after he let himself into his small apartment which was largely standard, a flash of light coupled with a magical array occupied the living room, and a vaguely familiar black robe stood within its confines.

Yes, the robe was standing. Which meant there must be someone inside it. That somebody was short, similar to the size of the boy who destroyed years of planning. Yet there was no darkness in his heart...nay, not even a heart at all.

And yet, the resemblance to Sora was greater than his mere size. There was an...air...around him that also reminded him of the brat. All it would take would be a keyblade to complete the picture in his mind.

"...Xemnas...?" The figure spoke hesitantly.

"Roxas." The man grinned. "That would mean Sora has once again become a heartless...or perhaps a heart. His was always abnormally strong...and no. I am his heartless. I am _Xehanort_."

Roxas flinched slightly, Sora's memories of the man briefly showing through. "What is that on your left hand?"

Xehanort blinked, looking at it. "Strange...that wasn't there before. Hm..." His mind pondered the unusual marking, one that had appeared with the-

_Roxas! It appeared with Roxas!_ "Boy, take that glove off your left hand!" Xehanort shouted suddenly, loud enough that his neighbours would hear, if they were home. He didn't know, or care.

Roxas flinched again, feeling a strange need to do exactly what was told.

As if refusal was not only an undesired action, but outright _impossible_.

The marking on Xehanort's hand glowed briefly, and one of the three smaller sigils faded. Xehanort had quickly joined the dots. _I commanded the boy and one marking disappeared! Potentially coincidence, but highly unlikely. Nevertheless, I won't use another...this is far, __**far**__ too useful._

Roxas glanced at his now bare hand, the first part of his pale skin which had been revealed. "No marking..."

"Nevermind, boy...it's beginning to make sense." Xehanort blinked. "Scratch that, very little of this makes sense. Why would you come to me?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know anything..." Roxas looked down.

"Hmph, an over _and_ mis-used statement, however one that is understood. Boy, you are bound to me for some reason or another, and I shall find out what." Xehanort began to pace.

A man that looked old, yet notably younger than Xehanort invited himself into his apartment, seemingly having picked the lock.

Xehanort was surprised, and sent a bolt of dark energy at the intruder _who caught it without extinguishing it_!

"Assassin and his master, how appropriate for a first impression." The man grinned.

"Assassin? You mean the boy." A statement.

The man grinned wider. "Indeed. I believe I'll keep this." He closed his hand, and the darkness Xehanort launched disappeared.

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"One of seven warriors, fighting for a wish-granting device...but what's in it for the moderator? I can already see he has hidden purpose, but as to _what..._" Xehanort mumbled. Then resisted the urge to curse.

He couldn't get a solid reading on the man's heart, strange in and of itself, yet he would estimate it was about three fifths darkness. Sad for humanity is that that is better than most, but it disturbed him that there was something about this contest he didn't know, something the _moderator_ didn't want him to know.

"Assassin. Find out who the other servants are discreetly, and if possible, their masters as well." Xehanort passed him a notebook. "Draw their faces, and estimated age and height. In a conflict such as this, knowledge is power." _As that old fool of a moderator no doubt knows...he has all the cards, and all the time in the world to play them._

Xehanort's pride prevented him from realising how similar they, in fact, were.

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A/N

Another 'no action' plot chapter, but two more key players are introduced. Four series left that haven't been put in the disclaimer, one for the moderator and the other three for the master-servant pairs.

On a side note, I haven't decided entirely on the winner, or if there will even be one. Maybe I should put that up as a poll when all the pairs are introduced?

Quick recap;

Archer: Uryu Ishida. Master: Ichigo Kurosaki. Series: Bleach.

Caster: ? ? ? (Fairly obvious, though) Master: Negi Springfield. Series: Negima.

Assassin: Roxas. Master: Xehanort. Series: Kingdom Hearts.

Snake-like man. Class: ? ? ? (Suspected Sabre) Master: ? ? ? Series: ? ? ? (Again, fairly obvious)

And three others unintroduced.

Till next time.

Senge.


	6. Speculation

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, Bleach, Kingdom Hearts, and Naruto. This will be added to every time a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

.

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Orochimaru slinked back into the impressively hidden hideout both he and his master had created.

The World Tree stood at the centre of Mahora Academy, and near its upper limits yet still hidden by the foliage, was a series of small wooden constructs connected via makeshift paths along the branches that very few beyond shinobi could use, let alone detect.

Not only that, but it was also an excellent vantage point for observing any battles that would spring up in the area, and very few would suspect the enormous tree that had stood there since before the war began.

Besides, it was a popular place. One thing the moderator had expressed was that this war was to remain as secret as possible, to the point of killing witnesses. That would also deter any attacks in the situation where they must rest or recuperate.

"I'm unceasingly amazed by this structure. I was sure that those Leaf fools were unable to hide anything. Kuku...this here is far more suited to the name 'Konohagakure', truly a 'village hidden in the leaves'." Orochimaru chuckled at what he'll admit was mostly his master's idea. Naruto's ability to hide in plain sight when he wished easily rubbed off on his (informal) pupil.

"Village? It's eight small rooms, if that." Konohamaru deadpanned.

"Some hidden shinobi villages are barely more than this, and they need to train children in their arts."Orochimaru explained. "I consider this, if it had a few more people, a village."

Konohamaru was struggling to understand the S-rank missing nin that was his servant in the war. Orochimaru liked to be in control from the rumours he heard, and yet he easily embraced this role he was given. _Surely he'd like to be pulling strings from the shadows? Or is he trying to pull _my_ strings?_ He was wary of the man, that's for sure. He looked at the command seals on his hand again, realising that perhaps he could _order_ Orochimaru not to manipulate him. _Would that work? How long would the command last?_

While Konohamaru was considering the strangeness of his servant, Orochimaru was more concerned with his Kusanagi. _Why won't the blade change length anymore? ! Ever since that thrice blasted seal array summoned me here, it's been stuck at 9 feet long!_ He suspected the moderator's tampering, but was unsure. If the man ever removed his 80's style hipster sunglasses, he felt he'd be able to..._extract_...some information out of him via a genjutsu. His entire aura screamed power, of the likes of Pein, nor that Orochimaru thought about it. Certainly not someone he'd confront without further information on him.

"Konohamaru -kun, what is your opinion of the moderator?"

He frowned. "Someone who has a lot of power, and is seeing the abilities of other strong people who specialise in a certain field. This may be to gauge his weaknesses and cover them so he's even harder to defeat."

"Hmm...so a hidden agenda, but a fairly predictable one? See underneath the obvious. 7 servants, 6 need to die to power some wishing device-"

"Did he create this conflict?" Konohamaru suddenly asked.

Orochimaru paused, and thought long and hard about the comment. _What if he didn't? Could he, too, be a servant..._ "! That is a most cunning strategy if it's true..." Orochimaru grinned sinisterly.

"What is it?"

"Consider the possibility that he is also a servant. He has the power, and knows about the war. So he's acting as a moderator, getting the rest of the servants to fight each other while learning their abilities _and_ gaining their trust. It would be a master stroke, seizing the wish for himself in the process if there even is such a device!"

Konohamaru blanched. That painted a bad picture...one he hadn't, nor wanted to, consider.

"Kukuku...the man is a mastermind of _something_, that much I know."

All Konohamaru could think about was how much he respected and feared his servant. To reach a conclusion that quickly...Determination set in. He got a glimpse of the mental acuity of an S-class ninja. An area he'd never really considered, but now realised was vitally important to survival.

No, he would no longer fear his servant. He would train, until he was on par with him.

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A/N

Orochimaru's master is Konohamaru, but his class is still unrevealed. It can only be one of Rider, Lancer, Sabre or Berserker. I've thrown a subtle hint as to his class, but it might be too vague.

Anyway, a well thought out base for this duo, which also suits them. They really will have home ground advantage when fighting there.

Till next time.

Senge.


	7. Warriors

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, Bleach, Kingdom Hearts, Naruto, and Fire Emblem. This will be added to every time a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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Rolf looked at his 'servant'.

The man once commanded respect and awe from everyone who knew of him...which was quite a lot of people.

But now, that man was desperately trying to hold on to his sanity.

Deghinsea, King of the dragon tribe of Goldoa, and one of four mortals who worked together to seal a goddess of chaos who had lost control of her emotions. Also one of two still alive from that encounter. With the respect he had earned, he ushered in an era of peace between two warring species...for _two hundred years_ before the lingering embers of animosity finally grew into the fires of war once again.

Normally, when one of the dragon tribe 'formshift' into their namesake, they quickly lose their sense of self until the chaotic energy which allowed the transformation ran out, where they would revert to their human form. Not Deghinsea. Not only had he transcended the need for chaotic energy, but he also retained his mind, which was also quite sharp, if stubborn. He was king for these reasons.

This all changed when he was summoned into this war...as 'Berserker'.

He had to resist the urge to crush anything that moved, a stark contrast to the normally pacifistic mentality he once had, and while he had not formshifted yet, both Rolf and Deghinsea suspected what restraint he had left would disappear. As such, there was an agreement between the two, the command seals would be used if he was unable to revert to force the action.

Strangely enough, he still carried the blessing the goddess of order bestowed upon him for service to the world, a barrier that could not be broken by anything not also blessed by a deity, and it would also regenerate his wounds in the case where he was hurt. The barrier was normally invisible, however if required to deflect something, a group of motes seemingly made of light would meet the object, halting any further progress. As he was blessed, he himself was unaffected by the barrier.

They had holed up in the forest, somewhere that could mask Deghinsea's presence should he succumb to his rage.

To be fair, Deghinsea had taken to meditating to stave it off better, but he regarded the first conflict to be the real test.

"Deghinsea...We can't stay here forever. We need to be in the fray before it finds us. That way, we can be prepared rather than caught off guard." Rolf stated quietly. He was still a boy, really...nearing his 14th birthday. Yet he was no stranger to fighting and killing, having been part of a mercenary group since he was 7, and participated in two separate wars. No, Rolf's kill count had already reached triple digits despite his age. He was by no means heartless, though...somewhat jaded, but still retaining a childlike shyness.

"I...abhor conflict, Rolf..." Deghinsea took a deep breath.

"But we are involved anyway. By hiding...all we'll do is make sure it doesn't end."

Deghinsea exhaled the breath. "Then we add to the fighting?"

"No...we try to conclude it. If we eliminate those fighting...we'll end it faster, right? There's no-one else to continue it...7 servants, that's the limit."

"Hrm...It has merit...even if I don't agree with the path..."

"You didn't agree with Ike or Yune, either." Rolf pointed out.

At the mention of Ike, his face hardened, and at Yune, his posture finally showed his age, well over 600 years. "...Yune. Very well, I'll honour her wish. Let us ensure as few humans die as possible."

Rolf felt awful about bringing her up. The dragon king had betrayed her not once, but twice...and the second time weighed heavily on his heart.

"...Alright...let's just scout, first...look for good places to fight to avoid bystanders." Rolf suggested.

"I see the sense in that. Let us go, Rolf."

Rolf sighed. _Was bringing up Yune a bad idea? He's finally listening, but he's even more formal that he was before..._ Rolf began walking to Mahora Academy, thinking that was as good a place as any to begin.

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A/N

Berserker is revealed...and he's just as overpowered as F/SN's berserker. I have a plan to bring him down if that's where I want to take the story, but I still haven't decided who I want to win yet. So yeah, it's still anyone's game, really.

This chapter, unfortunately, is not a promise for more updates. Exams have come up, and I'm doing my best to pass. In three weeks however, all I'll be doing is playing games and writing.

Still no reviews yet...and that is a hint.

Senge.


	8. Sweepers

Disclaimer:

Due to my attempt at maintaining the intended characters' anonymity, I'll not be listing all the series I'm borrowing from here yet. That said, nothing here belongs to me. Really. Like, at all.

List I can give without giving anything away; Fate/Stay Night, Negima, Bleach, Kingdom Hearts, Naruto, Fire Emblem, and Black Cat. This will be added to everytime a character's name is revealed.

Not for profit, just your brief amusement.

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.

Rolf and Deghinsea wandered through Mahora Academy blindly, slowly familiarising themselves with the terrain, yet completely unaware they were being watched, and actually followed, by someone who all too easily camouflaged in the environment.

Eve, a 12 year old girl with long blond hair and innocent appearance, coupled with the fact she was wearing a Mahora Academy uniform, made for a very unimposing figure, and one easily overlooked.

Eve, however, recognised the two she was now tailing for exactly what they were, combatants in the Holy Grail war. The command seals on the young boy's hand quickly confirmed her suspicions, and was now waiting for a good opportunity to strike them, in a secluded location away from prying eyes.

_This feels like sweeping...I thought a war would mean something more violent. _She paused, thinking, unaware that her actions made the two even less suspicious than they were. _The books always refer to war as bad things, or necessary evils, and make heroes in the process._ She blinked, realising her marks were gaining some distance, and subtly closed it to a more comfortable length.

The Berserker duo headed between two buildings and Eve saw her opportunity. "Excuse me, are you two lost?" Eve asked, slipping into a persona fitting for a student. Visually, she fit the act quite well, so it shouldn't be too hard, right?

Rolf blushed. "U-Uh, n-no, not really-"

"We could use a guide." Deghinsea cut in. "Do you have places to be at present, young miss?"

Eve shook her head simply. "I'd be more than happy to show you around." Having noticed Rolf's reaction, she reached for his hand, thinking, and correctly so, that he would be the more off-guard of the pair.

However, this was also the pair's first outing, so they were more cautious than most would be. Rolf pulled his hand away. "U-Um, d-don't you think that's a bit too much?" He stammered.

Eve's mind quickly browsed possible reactions and their intended effects. She looked down and quietened her voice. "I'm sorry...I was just trying to be courteous..."

Rolf inwardly cringed. Deghinsea's eyes softened. "We apologise, however it would be best if you kept your hands to yourself."

_Damn...they're good. The subtle approach won't work, it seems._

"Also, if you could remain in front of us, that would be greatly appreciated."

Eve blinked, keeping a mask over her alarm. _Are they on to me?_ Then she realised that not reacting would be a bad thing, and silently thanking the many blond jokes that exist, her face shifted to one of both alarm and wariness. "Are you criminals?" She asked innocently.

Rolf blinked. "No, we're not. He's just paranoid about strangers...and it would be better not to aggravate that." Eve...blinked. And blinked again. "Just...don't ask. It's a long story involving dragons, goddesses, and herons."

"Ah? Sounds like an interesting story." _Dragons and goddesses are mythical, but herons? How would they fit in?_

This time Rolf blinked, not expecting that answer. Deghinsea, however, saved his master from answering. "Indeed, but that is for another time. If you could, begin showing us around now."

Eve bowed. "Of course, right this way... " She turned away from them...and kept turning, swinging her hands together at Berserker, her hands somehow changing into an iron mallet, that was stopped by some strange sparkly dust now surrounding his form. Eve's eyes widened as Berserker took one step forward and brought his left fist crashing into her diaphragm, the considerable strength his frame suggested he had was negligible in comparison to what he truly possessed.

Eve was sent flying out of the gap between the two buildings, and an even more literal interpretation of that when she sprouted large feathered wings to slow herself down, sending some feathers at the duo like bullets before lightly touching the ground. Rolf ducked behind Deghinsea, allowing his barrier to protect them both.

Deghinsea, however, felt an ever increasing urge to crush the small girl...to the point where he was taking involuntary steps forward. Eve recognised it as barely contained rage, and quickly realised that, at present, she couldn't take this servant on.

However...the master was a different story.

Dashing forward, curling her wings back into her body, Eve evaded a wild swing from Deghinsea, moving straight for Rolf with a lance formed from her right hand. Rolf ducked desperately, before diving to his right to avoid her left foot which had transformed into steel with yet another spear forming from the tip. Pivoting with the momentum of her kick, she went to bring her arm-lance down on the fallen boy, but had to jump to evade another haymaker from Deghinsea. Digging her left foot into the building while she reformed her wings, Rolf pulled out a small crossbow from his clothes. Eve took off over the roof of the opposite building, and Rolf put his foot in Deghinsea's hand, who instantly understood, launching him into the air.

With war-honed aim, he sent the bolt flying towards his erratically moving target, and was rewarded with a non-fatal hit to her abdomen. She was still able to fly, however, and succeeded in escaping the pair.

"That...was fast-paced..." Rolf panted, the adrenaline leaving his system.

Deghinsea was breathing heavily, trying to reign in his destructive urges.

More scarily, however, was the fact Rolf was unable to get the girl out of his mind. "I...didn't even get her name..."

.

Meanwhile, with Eve's master...

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Train Heartnet, a black-haired youth wearing a decorated blue vest over a white shirt and blue pants, was wandering Mahora Town taking note of good places to eat. Such places needed to have good food, and be respectable enough to convince Sven to come along so he could pay. Or be cheap, but places that had good food and were cheap were hard to come by.

Of course, he noticed the man with glasses trailing him. White clothes, while common here, were hard to miss when white was all you were wearing.

Heading down a side alley in order to draw the man out, he turned around.

"So, you noticed me." Uryu stated.

"Not hard to. Whoever taught you to stalk did a pretty bad job." Train replied with a grin.

Uryu let out a dry chuckle. "Perhaps...self-teaching all my skills, it's only natural there would be flaws somewhere."

Train whistled. "Self taught, eh? Not bad, then. But you said 'all', sounds like you have a few. Mind showing off?"

"I do, actually." A white bow materialised in his hand. "But for you, I can make an exception."

Train's eyes widened in alarm, realising he was facing one of the servants the strange moderator talked about. And from the looks of things, it was Archer he was paired off against. He pulled out his black gun, Hades, from its holster, and used it to deflect the first of Uryu's shots, whose eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. Train noticed the shimmer of hot air rising from his gun. "Looks like that packs quite the punch." Train grinned. Uryu replied with another arrow, which Train shot to see what the effect was. The arrow was knocked slightly off course, but Train still had to evade.

"You seem to have some skill with your weapon. But, a master cannot stand up to a servant." And with that, Uryu fired shot after shot, which Train either deflected or evaded, before returning fire, which Uryu's bow intercepted. Archer pulled a tab from the seemingly decorational belt, and it grew into a sword, whose wielder charged forward. Train backpedalled, before swinging his gun harshly and suddenly to try and disarm the man, but Archer's grip remained firm, although he was surprised the gun could stand up to the attack. Train tried to angle his weapon to get a shot on the Quincy, however Uryu noticed and prevented him from doing so, using his superior strength to force the man into a corner.

Train grinned. "Hey Sven! Could you lend me a hand?"

Uryu turned, expecting to see another servant...but saw nothing. Then his right hand shifted, and his _steleschneider_ was no longer locked with Train's gun. He turned back to his adversary, but only saw a ball with a fuse and a cat's face on it. Its danger didn't seem to be great, considering the fuse wasn't lit, but-

_BANG!_

Train shot the grenade in the servant's face. He was only mildly singed, but this smoke wouldn't go away and was obscuring his vision, not to mention it seemed to be burning his mouth, nose, and eyes.

_Curry powder...in a bomb?_

Train jumped onto the roof of the building Uryu was trying to back him into, and fled quickly. "No idea how long that will last, but now sure ain't the time to find out." _Best get back to base quickly so he loses me._

.

Uryu was pissed. His eyes wouldn't stop watering, which would easily throw his aim, and his quarry had escaped. _Didn't think he'd be that good either...At least I know what he looks like._

Uryu waited in the alley for awhile, wiping his eyes clear of the damned powder so that he could walk out of the alleyway in a dignified manner.

Unknown to him, though, was a black cowled presence waiting in the shadows. As Uryu left, he pulled out a small notebook and made a couple of notes, a page with Uryu's face and 'Archer' At the top, and another with Train's face, and 'Unknown' above it.

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One of the biggest chapters I've done yet. Should I aim for this size?


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